Since the development of the computer, human beings have sought to construct computers that can think like humans to the degree that these machines have an “artificial intelligence.” One of the goals is to develop a computer that could think, learn and carry-on intelligent conversations with humans beings.
Some development of artificially intelligent computers focuses on developing computers that can converse. Thus, a key area in developing an artificially intelligent computer is developing a language that allows a computer to process inputs received from humans and to respond with an appropriate and cogent output. One such language is an Artificial Intelligence Mark-up Language (AIML) developed by Dr. Richard S. Wallace.
AIML is interpreted and processed by an engine called A.L.I.C.E. (Artificial Linguistic Internet Computer Entity). The A.L.I.C.E. engine is designed to receive an input from the user and determine the correct response using knowledge encoded in AIML and stored in a AIML knowledge base. For example, when the input is, “What is two plus two?,” the A.L.I.C.E. engine provides the response, “4.” In arriving at the response of “4,” the A.L.I.C.E. engine searches a list of categories within the AIML knowledge base. Each category contains a pattern that is linked to a single response template. The A.L.I.C.E. engine matches the user input against the available patterns in the AIML knowledge base. After finding a match in a pattern, the pattern's corresponding response template is activated and a series of actions are carried out by the A.L.I.C.E. engine.